Pressing machine



Feb; 28, 1967 v v G. FLEISCHER 3,305,956

PRESSING MACHINE Filed Aug. 4, i964 s Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 28, 1967 G. FLEISCHER 3,305,956

PRESSING MACHINE Filed Aug. 4, 1964 sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 28, 1967 G. FLEISCHER PRESSING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 4, 1964 0 O O O O O O O O United States Patent PRESSING MACHINE Gottfried Fleischer, Ludwigstrasse 25, Furth, Bavaria, Germany Filed Aug. 4, 1964, Ser. No. 387,329 Claims priority, application Germany, Aug. 5, 1963,

3 Claims. (Cl. 38-16) The present invention relates to pressing machines or garment presses and is particularly concerned with steam operated pressing machines.

In plants of the garment industry, particularly in dry cleaning establishments for garments, ironing or pressing machines are frequently used which have a stationary lower buck portion and an associated upper head portion that is movable from an open position into pressing position the buck. In such a machine the housings of the head and the buck are supplied with steam during ironing. The lower shoe or buck is also connected to a suction duct which is operative after the ironing operation. Pressing machines of this type are used for pressing very different garments such as trousers, suit jackets, blouses and others. For that reason these pressing machines are also referred to as universal pressing machines.

If a pair of trousers are to be pressed on such a machine, it is necessary in order to perform a flawless press ing operation, to carry out at least six individual operations, and for each operation the head has to-be raised up from the lower shoe, the garment placed in a different pressing position, and the upper shoe must again be lowered into pressing position in order to perform the next pressing step. With each of these operations the steam supply to the head and the buck must be turned on and subsequently turned off and besides, the steam suction device must be turned on and off after each individual operation.

These six working operations in pressing a pair of trousers are as follows: The trousers are placed upon the buck and the upper trouser or waist portion must be folded back so that first only one trouser portion is pressed. For this purpose the trousers are placed upon the buck, so that first the largest part of the trouser to be ironed hangs freely down over a longitudinal edge of the buck so that during the first operation one crease can be pressed. Then the pressing machine or press must be opened and the trouser leg, with the folded over trouser portion must be placed freely suspended over the other longitudinal edge of the buck in order to enable pressing the other crease of the same trouser leg. These two operations are then repeated for the second trouser leg. Now it is still necessary to press the center or crotch part of the trouser. For this purpose the two longitudinal edges of the buck at one transverse end run somewhat conically with respect to one another, so that the trouser with the center portion can be pulled over this narrowed end of the buck. Thereupon there follows again the pressing operation for this center part, and that in one operation upon the one side surface, and in a second operation upon the opposite side surface of the trouser. Thus there result already six entirely separate working operations with turning on and off operations of the steam and opening and closing of the steam press. In most cases the trouser binding or belt is then pressed again on a special trouser binding press. Thus there results a seventh working ope-ration for which not only the aforementioned machine but also an additional trouser binding or waist band press is required.

It is an object of the invention to provide a pressing machine which is particularly suitable for pressing trousers. For this purpose thebasic construction of the aforementioned universal pressing machine of the prior art is portion of the trousers.

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to be adopted; however this pressing machine is to be additionally equipped in a manner that the pressing operation for a pair of trousers can be executed practically in one single working operation. It is clear that with the solution of this problem the numerous working operations formerly required can be reduced to a considerable extent. Time is saved, labor is saved, but in addition a considerable savings is obtained in the amount of steam required for carrying out the pressing operation The pressing machine in accordance with the invention is to be constructed in such a manner that the pressing operation for trousers can be carried out simultaneously on both legs, while at the same time entirely flawless creases are obtainable for'both trouser legs.

Accordingly the invention provides first of all for the buck and the head at the transverse end that faces the trouser waist portion being provided with a recess or cut out, and that in a manner that during the pressing operation i.e. with the press in closed condition, the center portion of the trousers to be pressed is not subjected to the ironing pressure. Suitably the construction of the press is such that through-going cut outs at the transverse side of the buck and the head are only provided on one part of the surface area of the center part of the trousers. These through-going recesses as seen in a longitudinal section are joined at the surfaces of the head and the buck by conically extending recesses in the area of the entire center portion of the trousers.

If the trousers to be ironed are now placed upon the lower shoe then the two trouser legs of the trousers are placed upon one another in well registering arrangement. As the press is closed by moving down the head upon the buck, both trouser parts are pressed together along the entire extent of the creases to be produced, without the center portion of the trouser disturbing the pressing operation of the two legs, because this center portion of the trouser is now in the recesses of the head and the buck.

Suitably the pressing machine is additionally provided with a pivotally supported ironing cloth frame which is likewise provided with a lateral cut out for the center While ironing the trousers this ironing cloth frame is inserted between the two trouser legs of the trousers to be ironed. This frame is provided as an additional convenience in order to prevent impressing the crease of one leg upon the other leg below it if it has not been possible to align both legs accurately during pressing.

The invention further provides that a tensioning or stretching device is provided for the trouser binding or waist portion at the waist end of the rnachine. In this manner the waist portion is already brought into a stretched position during the pressing operation of the trousers. Thus it is prevented that the center part of the trousers with the waist of the trousers binding hangs down freely during the pressing operation. However, it is possible now to insert a bag, for example, of a nylon fabric, into the stretched trouser waist portion in the cen-. ter part of the trousers. This bag is connected to a pipe conduit for supplying air, steam or a steam and air mixture.

In general it is preferred with the pressing machine in closed condition to insert the bag in the center part of the trousers and supply air thereto. Then the steam for the pressing operation is turned on with the machine in closed condition. This steam escapes through the ironing covers from the upper shoe and lower shoe in the direction of the material being pressed. The steam then emerges also in the region of the center part of the trousers, and that at substantially the'same time at which the center part of the trousers is put under a certain zgmount of tension from the inside through the blown up It has been found that it is possible by means of such an arrangement in accordance with the invention to provide flawless creases on both trouser legs in one working operation and that simultaneously also the center part of the trouser with the trouser binding is subjected to treatment or ironing by the arrangement described above. The steam treatment on the one hand from the outside and the tensioning of the center part of the trousers with the trouser binding by the introduction of air and with the mechanical tensioning mealns of the trouser binding proper provides for this effect.

In order to attain these objects it is of particular importance in accordance with the invention that the appli- I cation of steam to the material being pressed is not carried out with wet steam but with steam that is as dry as possible. For that reason the invention provides in addition that the inner space of the buck and the head is provided with steam coils equipped with separate intake and discharge means. In this manner the fresh steam that must be directly applied and which is supplied to the head and the buck in the customary manner is re-heated again directly before its application to the material being ironed by means of the steam coils which means also an indirect steam effect. In this manner nothing but absolutely dry steam acts on the material to be ironed.

. Further objects and details of the invention will become apparent from the following specification with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate an embodiment of the invention, and in which:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a pressing machine with the head and the buck,

. FIG. 1a illustrates alternate stretching means,

FIG. 2 is a side view of the pressing machine in accordance with FIG. 1 with the buck in section,

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section through the buck, and

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the buck in accordance with FIG. 3, partly in section to expose the heating coil arrangement.

The pressing machine in accordance with FIG. 1 comprises a machine frame or supporting frame 1 which is merely schematically illustrated. The buck 2 of the press in the form of a lower housing is rigidly connected to this frame 1. In addition the upper shoe 3 which is in the form of an upper housing is also connected with the machine frame 1 but is pivotally supported by means of arms 3' so that the head 3 may be moved down upon the buck2 into position for pressing.

As shown in particular in FIG. 1, the buck 2 as well as also the head 3 are each provided with a cutout portion 4 or 5. These two cutout portions 4 and 5 extend through the entire member over the entire width thereof. A conical recess merges with each of these cutout portions 4 and 5 which is indicated at 6 on the buck and at 7 on the head. This conical recess 6 on the lower shoe 2 is also shown in FIG. 3. Cutout portions 4 and 5 and the conically extending recesses 6 and 7 which merge with them are of such dimension that the center portion of the trouser can be accommodated in these two recesses.

If a pair of trousers, as indicated in dot and dash lines at 8, is placed with both legs exactly and accurately aligned upon the buck 2 and then the head 3 is brought into pressing position, then the center part of the gusset up to the binding is not in condition to be pressed.

A tensioning or stretching device including a holding bar is provided on the machine. This device 8 is supported on pipe 12 by means of a sleeve 8a and a pair of prongs 8b, 8c extending from the sleeve as shown in FIG. 1a. Holding bar 8 is equipped with two tensioning struts 9 and 10, one of which can be axially displaced with respect to the bar 8 so that the trouser binding of the trouser 8' to be pressed as soon as the same is in pressmg position can be stretched with the machine in closed condition.

An inflatable bag 11 is shown which may be of nylon fabric and which is connected to a pipe conduit 12 so that it can be supplied with a gaseous medium such as air or steam.

This bag 11 is placed at the center of the trouser, as indicated in dot and dash lines in FIG. 1. The head is then closed down and the supply of steam to the head and the buck begins, while at the same time the bag 11 is blown up with air through the conduit 12, so that in this manner the waist part of the trouser which now no longer hangs down freely but is stretched on the holding bar 8 with the struts 9 and 10 (FIG. la) is subjected to stretching. By means of this stretching or tensioning a flawless pressing operation is performed also on the center part of the trouser including the trouser binding, and that at the same time at which the completion of the creases for both trouser legs takes place.

In carrying out such a pressing operation it is, of course, very desirable that the two trouser legs are placed one upon the other in exactly registering position and stretched out upon the lower shoe or buck 2. If the two trouser legs are not placed accurately upon one another in a manner that also the two creases being formed register completely, it is conceivable that the crease of the upper trouser leg impresses itself in some manner upon the lower trouser leg.

In order to preclude this possible shortcoming a special pressing cloth frame is provided which may consist of a frame of tubular material 13 which is covered with the pressing cloth 14. This pressing cloth frame 13 is pivotably mounted on the support member 15 at a pivot 15' (FIG. 2). The pressing cloth frame is also provided with a recess 16 which corresponds to the cut cuts or recesses 4, 5 and 6, 7.

During trouser pressing operations the trousers are placed upon the buck as indicated in FIG. 1. The upper trouser leg is then first moved back. The frame 13 is now swung down upon the lower trouser leg and then the upper trouser leg is placed on top of the pressing cloth 14. Both legs are put down in stretched out condition in a manner that both legs register as closely as possible. However, even if accurate registering is not accomplished the crease of the upper leg is not impressed upon the lower leg, as that is prevented by the interposed pressing cloth 14. The cut out 16 in the pressing cloth is again of sufiicient size to accommodate the center portion of the trouser from the gusset outwardly.

The frame of the pressing cloth 14 is provided with a transverse connection 17 alongside the cut out 16 of the cloth 14 which, in turn, is provided with tensioning struts 18 and 19, one of which is slidable on member 17, in order to permit stretching of the trouser binding. If these means are provided the holding bar 8 of FIG. 1a with the tensioning struts is not needed.

In the interior 20* of the buck a steam conduit 21 is accommodated which is connected to the steam supply tube 22. This steam conduit 21 extends over the full length of the buck and is provided with steam discharge apertures 22. The steam spreads out from these apertures over the entire area of the buck on both sides of the tube 21 and rises from there upwardly through the perforated metal sheet 23. The apertures in this metal sheet are indicated at 24. Above the perforated metal sheet 23, 24 an ironing pad or surface 25 is disposed which consists of yielding or resilient material. The steam supply tube 21 with the steam conduit 22 is also shown in a bottom view in FIG. 4.

Between the perforated metal sheet 23, 24 and the steam supply tube 21 the heating coils 26 are located which comprise a plurality of heating tubes 26' disposed parallel with respect to one another and are connected with the steam feed tube 27 and the, steam discharge tube 28 at the opposite ends thereof. dividual steam heating tubes 26' by way of the steam feed tube 27 which steam is intended to heat the steam that is supplied by the supply tube 21 that is applied directly to- Fresh steam is supplied to the inthe material being pressed. Thus the steam which must act directly on the garments being pressed is additionally heated so that no Wet steam is applied to the garments.

The tube 29 (FIG. 2) is connected to a de-aerator (not shown). A valve 30 having a handle 31 is provided by means of which the steam which is in the lower shoe 2 may be drawn olf after completion of the pressing operation. For this purpose the tube 29 is connected with a suction funnel 33 by way of a pipe stub 32.

The steam supply and discharge conduits 34 and 35 for the head 3 are indicated in FIG. 2 which serve to supply the heat c-oil system (not shown). The operation of the ironing press in accordance with the invention as described above takes place as follows:

With the head 3 in raised condition the trousers are placed upon the buck. The trouser leg on top is first folded aside and the lower trouser leg is then straightened out. The frame 13 is now moved down upon the lower trouser leg. Then the upper trouser leg is arranged upon the pressing cloth in working position to register as closely as possible with the lower trouser leg. The head 3 may now be lowered to the pressing position and then also the bag 11 is placed in the center portion of the trousers. Now the trouser binding is stretched by means of the tensioning means 8, 9, or 17, 18, 19. Steam is now supplied to the head 3 and to the buck 2. In a short period of time the entire trouser pressing operation is completed in one single pressing operation. The steam supply to the head and the buck is turned off. The handle 31 is operated in order to draw off the steam from the buck. Now

the head is raised to the open position and the pressed trousers can be removed from the ironing press.

It is apparent that trousers can be pressed in very orderly and neat fashion in one single operation by means of the pressing machine in accordance with the invention. A special pressing machine of this type is of particular value in times of labor shortage.

Having now described my invention with reference to the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, I do not wish to be limited thereto, but what I desire to protect by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Pressing machine for trousers comprising a supporting frame, a stationary buck mounted on said supporting frame and a head associated with said buck and pivotally supported on said frame, said head having a raised inoperative position and a closed operative position where it is positioned on said buck, each, said buck and said head, defining a housing, means for supplying steam to said housings, a steam suction conduit connected to the housing of said buck operative to withdraw steam therefrom after a pressing operation, each, said buck and said head, having a transverse end, a cut out portion extending inwardly from each said transverse end and a generally conically shaped recessed portion adapted to accommodate the center part, particularly the crotch of trousers, said cutout portions extending respectively through said buck and said head and merging into said conical recessed portions, and said recessed portions extending inwardly from the cut-out portions generally longitudinally in the mating surfaces of said buck and said head, and a pressing cloth frame including a cloth having a cut-out portion corresponding generally in location and configuration to said cut-out portions and being disposed intermediate said buck and said head and being pivotally supported on said frame.

2. A pressing machine in accordance with claim 1, including stretching means disposed outwardly from said transverse ends and said cutouts, said stretching means comprising a transverse member at the end of said pressing cloth frame and a pair of tensioning struts extending inwardly from said transverse members substantially at right angles thereto for supporting the waist band of a pair of trousers.

3. A pressing machine in accordance with claim 2, further including a supply pipe proximate said cut-out portion of said buck and extending in the direction of said cut-out portion generally centrally thereof and an inflatable bag connected to said supply pipe, adapted in operative condition to extend into said cut-out and said recessed portions.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,817,344 8/1931 Braun 3812 2,241,997 5/1941 Ivey 3836 X 2,426,431 8/ 1947 Blumenfeld 38-12 X 2,537,700 1/1951 Powell et a1. 3816 2,809,451 10/ 1957 Campbell et a1 38--12 2,840,938 7/1958 Hale et a1 3836 2,859,545 11/ 1958 Williams 38--2O 2,931,546 4/1960 Brunier 3817 X 2,973,594 3/1961 Cole 3817 FOREIGN PATENTS 654,629 9/ 1929 France.

JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

G. V. LARKIN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. PRESSING MACHINE FOR TROUSERS COMPRISING A SUPPORTING FRAME, A STATIONARY BUCK MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORTING FRAME AND A HEAD ASSOCIATED WITH SAID BUCK AND PIVOTALLY SUPPORTED ON SAID FRAME, SAID HEAD HAVING A RAISED INOPERATIVE POSITION AND A CLOSED OPERATIVE POSITION WHERE IT IS POSITIONED ON SAID BUCK, EACH, SAID BUCK AND SAID HEAD, DEFINING A HOUSING, MEANS FOR SUPPLYING STEAM TO SAID HOUSINGS, A STEAM SUCTION CONDUIT CONNECTED TO THE HOUSING OF SAID BUCK OPERATIVE TO WITHDRAW STEAM THEREFROM AFTER A PRESSING OPERATION, EACH, SAID BUCK AND SAID HEAD, HAVING A TRANSVERSE END, A CUT OUT PORTION EXTENDING INWARDLY FROM EACH SAID TRANSVERSE END AND A GENERALLY CONICALLY SHAPED RECESSED PORTION ADAPTED TO ACCOMMODATE THE CENTER PART, PARTICULARLY THE CROTCH OF TROUSERS, SAID CUTOUT PORTIONS EXTENDING RESPECTIVELY THROUGH SAID BUCK AND SAID HEAD AND MERGING INTO SAID CONICAL RECESSED PORTIONS, AND SAID RECESSED PORTIONS EXTENDING INWARDLY FROM THE CUT-OUT PORTIONS GENERALLY LONGITUDINALLY IN THE MATING SURFACES OF SAID BUCK AND SAID HEAD, AND A PRESSING CLOTH FRAME INCLUDING A CLOTH HAVING A CUT-OUT PORTION CORRE- 